Join the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on November 7 to celebrate the opening day of its third winter season at the Lincoln Baths in the Saratoga Spa State Park. Conveniently located on South Broadway next to the Dance Museum, the Winter Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday until the end of April.
Festivities will begin with a ribbon cutting just prior to 9 a.m. led by special guests including Mayor Joanne Yepsen and other community officials, as well as vendors and customers who are all invited to gather at the front steps of the Lincoln Baths. Celebrations will include live music indoors and outside, a free activity for children of all ages offered by the Globe School, as well as giveaways and discounts on market logo merchandise.
Customers and visitors should not miss the opportunity to win Market products, by filling out free tickets for a raffle for baskets which will be overflowing with gifts from the vendors. Winners do not have to be present at the drawing.
Donations include vegetables, fruits, dairy products, pickles, peanut butter, root veggies, apples, honey, jam, t-shirts, eggs and wine. Some vendors have given gift certificates for their products and others have contributed coupons for discounts on products. The Farmers’ Market has added copies of its cookbook, frisbees, and pot holders.
The 40 vendors at the Winter Market provide customers with the same diversity of products found at the Summer Market. Tables (inside and outside) will be piled high with autumn vegetables such as turnips, broccoli, squash, beets, hot peppers, and carrots, along with an excellent supply of dried and fresh mushrooms.
The Market even has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and salad greens all year round. The apple season was wonderful this year, as illustrated by the number of apple varieties for fresh eating and cooking.
All our dairy vendors are returning to the Winter Market, with fresh milk and cream, delicious cheeses, yogurt and buttermilk. Meat and poultry farmers carry beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey (to be ordered for Thanksgiving Day), duck (later this fall), rabbit, and eggs.
Of course, the Winter Market continues to supply fresh brewed coffee, hot chocolate, warm apple cider, tea and lemonade. This year, hot egg sandwiches will be prepared right outside the front door. Specialty food vendors will have cookies, cakes, pastries, crackers, peanut butter, and freshly baked breads.
The Saratoga Winter Market is also an excellent location to shop for upcoming holidays. Gift items include hand made soaps, pottery, yarns and knitting patterns, and knitted clothing. As the year-end holiday season approaches, wreaths, swags, and Christmas trees will decorate the entrance to the Market.
Every first Saturday of the month, the lively musical trio, Running the River, will be playing a blend of country, folk, rock, and Irish tunes. Through the season, other bands will entertain visitors with more folk and rock music, as well as the classics and jazz.
New this year, also on the first Saturday of each month, is a program from the GLOBE School, a new bi-lingual (Mandarin Chinese and English) elementary school. At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, the GLOBE School invites children to experience a new country each month, by creating a craft and collecting passport stamps to record the cultural journey.
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association, founded in 1978, is the original full-scale farmers’ market in the area. A ‘producer only’ market, all vendors either raise or make what they sell. The Market appreciates its association with the Saratoga Spa State Park. Having a farmers’ market in such a classic historic building fits perfectly with the goals of the Market, to provide customers with traditional, high quality and beautiful products.
